She loves biscotti you say…more specifically Almond Biscotti.
My whole biscotti obsession started with this family recipe for Italian Almond Biscotti. Simple and great tasting -it will quickly become one of your favorites.
This recipe was originally published on September 28, 2014 and re-published on October 12, 2017 with updated content, photos and more recently with a video.
Born to Italian immigrants, growing up in Montreal, my definition of biscotti refers to a variety of cookies, which include the twice-baked cookie.
As a kid, I thought this cookie was too hard and looked boring. Whenever I opened the pantry door, there they were again, almond biscotti. I remember thinking why can’t we be like the other kids and have store-bought cookies. It was only as an adult that I came to appreciate this simple cookie which was absolutely created to be dunked.
If you have never ventured into the world of biscotti…you should.
They are truly simple to make, do not require any special cooking equipment (that means manual labor i.e. mixing by hand) and you can easily control the amount of sugar and the flavors (for example, the anise flavor found in this Anise Biscotti can easily be replaced with vanilla flavoring).
Be sure to consult this guide on How to Make Biscotti. It will provide you with all the tips and tricks to make the best homemade biscotti, every single time. This post also includes a recipe for Lemon Biscotti. If you like lemon cookies, you are going to love these!
Once you have combined the ingredients, it’s time to shape this mixture into logs. My method is definitely unconventional, but it works for me. I will use a large serving spoon to scoop out the dough and place it on the parchment-lined cookie sheet. I will then add another scoop adjacent to the batter on the cookie sheet and keep going until I have formed my two logs.
As far as the size of the log is concerned, you can make them as wide or as narrow as you want. I will usually make 3-3½ inch wide logs. Once I have placed the batter on the cookie sheets, I will gently “press” and shape the dough mixture into logs with my damp fingers. Like I mentioned, unconventional and amateurish…but hey, it works!
Once baked, allow them to cool off before attempting to slice them.
Biscotti, as you may know, is Italian for “twice-cooked” – so if you like a bit of a crunch, put those biscotti back in the oven again for the second round of baking. The longer these Italian biscotti stay in the oven, the crispier they will get. Although it is a well-known practice to bake these biscotti cookies twice, personnel preference should dictate for how long, if at all. These Almond Biscotti are fantastic even without the second baking.
Another well-known fact is that biscotti will last forever! Well, maybe not forever… but you get my point. Because they are baked twice, there is little moisture in the dough. Since biscotti are a low moisture cookie, this will allow you to store them at room temperature, where they will keep for a few weeks. It is best to keep them in an air-tight container.
Tips
- Start with ingredients that are at room temperature.
- Once the biscotti loaves are baked, allow them to cool down for at least ten minutes before slicing into them.
How do you cut biscotti without breaking them?
Allow the biscotti to cool down on a cookie rack before slicing into them. Carefully transfer the biscotti loaves to a cutting board. With a sharp serrated knife, slice the loaves at an angle into ½-inch thick slices.
Are biscotti supposed to be hard?
Yes, biscotti cookies are supposed to be hard. The best biscotti recipe will provide you with biscotti that are firm and crunchy. The word “biscotti” means twice baked; in doing so, the moisture is removed from these Italian cookies leaving you with a dry, dunk-able cookie.
How to store
Store your biscotti cookies in airtight containers, but they don’t need to be absolutely hermetically sealed. A slight flow of air will help them stay crispy!
You can store biscotti for up to 3 weeks in a variety of different containers, including glass or ceramics as well as cookie tins. A paper towel placed at the bottom of the container will help absorb excess moisture; making sure they stay crisp. Always store at room temperature -never the refrigerator.
Can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
More biscotti recipes
Biscotti is the perfect snack for any coffee or tea lover, with its crunchy additions of nuts and flavorful add-ins like dried fruit. Some favorites include these festive-looking pistachio biscotti, these earthy pumpkin biscotti as well as these decadent chocolate hazelnut biscotti.
They also make a great addition to any homemade Christmas cookie box.
Recipe origins for almond biscotti
As you can well imagine, every Italian family has “their” biscotti recipe and I have collected quite a few over the years. This is one of my personal favorites. In fact, my whole biscotti obsession started with this recipe. As you may have guessed, this was one of my mom’s recipes.
A simple and great tasting biscotti -I am sure they will quickly become one of your favorites!
I hope you enjoy these biscotti cookies with some Vin Santo, coffee, tea or even milk!
Don’t forget to dunk 🙂
THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.
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Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you have made this recipe for Almond Biscotti, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Recipe
Almond Biscotti
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole almonds raw
- 2¼ cups all purpose flour 320 grams
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon pure almond extract
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F/165° C. Position rack in the center.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 12-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt and sugars).
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs. Add olive oil, extracts, and zest. Whisk lightly together.
- When almonds are toasted, remove them from the oven and coarsely chop.
- Add flour mixture to egg mixture; stir with a wooden spoon until just incorporated.
- Fold in chopped almonds (make sure they have cooled off before incorporating in the batter).
- Use a large serving spoon to scoop out the dough and place it on the parchment-lined cookie sheet. Add another scoop adjacent to the batter on the cookie sheet and keep going until two logs are formed.With damp fingers, shape into a log shape.
- Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown in color and firm. Allow to cool slightly for about 10 minutes.
- Remove from baking sheet and transfer to a cutting board.
- Using a serrated knife, slice cookies at an angle about ½ - ¾ inch thick.
- Place slices back on the baking sheets and return them to the oven for about another 15-20 minutes (the longer they stay in the oven, the crispier they get). Turn them over at the halfway mark.
- Place on a wire rack to cool.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
James Sidlosky
Not my first Biscotti. Had fun preparing it with the grandkids. They had a blast. Only problem was after mixing all ingredients together there was no specific cook temperature. I assumed 350 and kept an eye on it. The smell of the almonds was great.
Maria
Thanks so much for sharing James, it really is so much fun to bake with the little ones! If you look in the recipe card, the first line states to preheat the oven to 325° F. I’m happy the recipe was a success.
Suhayla
Can I drizzle the biscotti with chocolate in the end? Thank you!
Maria
Oh yes, that sounds lovely! I humbly suggest waiting for them to be at room temperature before drizzling them with chocolate. Thanks for stopping by Suhayla.
Gagandeep Singh
I tried the recipe, Biscotti’s were amazing. Thanks for sharing it! They not only tasted good but even looked great. Just one question, is there a substitute for eggs, if someone doesn’t eat eggs ?
Maria
Thanks so much, Gagandeep. Although I have not tried, perhaps you can try with flax eggs.
Freeman, Carla
I’m making these biscotti right now but the dough is runny- I couldn’t form a log— add more flour??
Maria
Hi Carla, yes, add a few tablespoons and it should firm up. Let me know how it goes.
Melissa Quimby
I made these and they were so amazing that a few days later I made a double batch of these and one of the cranberry pistachio and bagged them up to give my friends as a quarantine treat. So delicious! I’m going to try the anise biscotti next. Thanks so much.
Maria
My pleasure Melissa! Thanks for sharing.
Natalie
I’ve made this biscotti recipe 3x now. My husband says it’s the best he’s ever had and looks forward to his daily biscotti with his coffee! I love the fact that it’s made with olive oil. I will continue to make this because it’s so satisfying and a million times better than store bought! Thank you for sharing this!
Maria
How wonderful Natalie! Thanks so much for sharing!
Cynthia Cabrales
I just tried this recipe. We didn’t have vanilla or almond extract so I substituted Grand Mariner. My family gets nervous when I make substitutions, but came out great! Thank you for this recipe.
Maria
Fantastic Cynthia! So thrilled to read this! Thanks so much for sharing.
Angelina
I tried making this tonight. It’s my first time making biscotti. Your recipe was easy to follow and fuss-free, and yet the results were just wonderful! Thank you so much for the recipe and the tips!
Maria
Fantastic Angelina! Thanks for sharing!
Dawn Barrett-Lauer
I will be making these for an Italian dinner this week. Can I substitute all purpose flour with almond flour?
Maria
Hi Dawn. Sorry for the late response. Your comment was in my spam folder. Unfortunately, I have never tried it. It is possible but you would have to adjust the amount of liquid and play around with the proportions. Thanks for stopping by.
Heather
Absolutely wonderful! Just like my grandmother made it. I did one giant mound on the baking sheet and once backed, I sliced into very long biscotti. I had it with tea last night and coffee this morning. I will save the recipe forever! Thank you!
Maria
How wonderful Heather! Thanks so much for sharing!
Lesley Flaminio
I love this recipe. The almond extract makes it extra flavourful and special. I used sliced almonds instead of whole almond and also sometimes add coconut. Both changes work. My entire family loves them.
Maria
How wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing Lesley!